Aug 1, 2017

TRUCKERS vs. SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES * USA: What they think about

... If you’re in the trucking business, Exit 34 is a hotbed of activity as big rigs roll in from across the country carrying everything from dried food to construction equipment to military supplies... There we caught up with several of the truck drivers to get their take on autonomous vehicles, asking what they thought about the idea of sharing the road with computerized self-driving trucks... The idea of moving freight across the country without a driver behind the wheel is one that’s gained momentum in recent years, in part for safety issues (truck drivers often work long hours on the road) but also because of potential economic savings (a computerized truck could possibly operate for longer hours)... * “I think it’s stupid,” said Glenn Sorrells, a truck driver from Oklahoma... * "Do you really want a computerized truck driving right beside you? And let’s say it decides to have a hiccup. That’s an 80,000-pound truck coming at you. And without a driver behind it to get the truck in control again, you are dead ..." says Chris Richardson, who is based out of Conway, Arkansas, and has been driving trucks since 1999 ... * “I tell you what, the truck that I have has … a crash management system. I tell you what, that is one of the deadliest things on the road..." says Victor Carrasco, another trucker, who lives just south of Orlando, Florida... (Photo: The TA Seattle East truck stop is a hotbed of trucking activity) -- Seattle, WASH, USA - Geekwire, by JOHN COOK & TAYLOR SOPER - July 27, 2017